


A lifelong birthday present

by phantomdieb



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-23
Updated: 2014-11-23
Packaged: 2018-02-26 18:58:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2662772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phantomdieb/pseuds/phantomdieb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"That's when he remembered that he still had to water his little garden. He should probably do that right after he got his second present.<br/>Ushijima heard his mother coming back. But when she told him to open his eyes, he stared once again.<br/>Because no matter what he was expecting, it certainly had not been this."</p>
            </blockquote>





	A lifelong birthday present

The sunshine fell through the curtains onto Ushijima's pillow and woke him up. With a groan he turned away, his eyes close shut, and tried to sleep just a little bit longer. It didn't work. So he stood up with a small sigh to go to the bathroom when his sleepy gaze fell onto the calendar. A day encircled in red.  
His birthday. Today was his birthday!  
All tiredness was gone when he, all excited, ran downstairs into the living room where his parents were already waiting for him .  
„Happy Birthday, Waka-chan!“ His mother hugged him and kissed his forehead and even his father patted his head. Ushijima could feel that this was going to be an amazing day.  
  
After school was over he couldn't wait to get home again. He knew his grandparents were going to visit them and he loved them very deeply. Maybe he would get his granddad to tell him another story about when he played volleyball back in his youth. Those always were his favourite stories.  
Back at home he did his homework as fast as he could and then went back into the living room. The whole house smelled of his favourite food and the more time passed, the more excited he got.  
  
When the doorbell finally rang, he jumped up and ran to open it. They congratulated him for his 11th birthday and let him drag them into the living room to the table.  
Of course he was excited for the presents his parents and his grandparents got him, he was a child after all, but he knew that they would eat first.  
After the meal came the cake. His favourite of course. And after finishing it he practically bounced up and down. His grandparents were laughing and took him into their middle as they were sitting on the couch. Ushijima turned to his granddad. His eyes sparkled in excitement when he asked him to tell him another volleyball story. His granddad laughed. Of course he did.  
Normally people would talk about him as a very serious person, but that was not how Ushijima would describe him. Around him, his granddad was always smiling, always happy. Only once he had seen him worried and that was when he had broken his arm.  
But it didn't matter anymore. Ushijima's eyes were glued to his granddad's lips, taking every word in like a sponge.  
Ushijima loved volleyball and everything involving it.  
He remembered when his granddad took him to his first volleyball game when he was five.  
He remembered the the smell, the sound, the excitement he felt when someone scored.  
That was when Ushijima decided that he'll play volleyball, too.  
That was when he decided, that one day, _he_ will be the reason for that excitement.  
  
Ushijima was so concentrated on listening to his granddad, that he didn't notice his mother coming back and nodding to his granddad. He understood and quickly finished his story.  
„Telling you stories about my youth is fine but today is your day, Wakatoshi. It's time for your presents.“  
His face lit up like a candle and he grinned. His heart pounded so fast he could hear it in his ears.  
The first present was from his grandparents. Though it was wrapped in paper he could tell that it was a volleyball. It wasn't hard to guess. But when he teared away the wrapping paper, the only thing he could do was stare.  
It was a volleyball, yes. But it was signed. By his favourite player.  
Ushijima stared from the ball in his hands to his granddad back to the ball. He was so overwhelmed that he didn't even know what to say. Not wanting to drop the ball but at the same time wanting to hug his granddad, it ended up with the ball being stuck between them. His granddad laughed and patted his head.  
„Happy birthday, Wakatoshi.“  
  
Ushijima ran off into his room to carefully place the volleyball on his shelf. He'd never use it to practice with it. It would be more of a motivation. To remind him of his dreams whenever he started to doubt. When practice was too hard and he too tired. With a satisfied nod he ran downstairs again. This was the best day of his life! But he knew that there was still a present he'd get. From his parents. But still there would be nothing greater than that volleyball, he thought to himself.  
So Ushijima closed his eyes when his mother told him to. That's when he remembered that he still had to water his little garden. He should probably do that right after he got his second present.  
Ushijima heard his mother coming back. But when she told him to open his eyes, he stared once again.  
Because no matter what he was expecting, it certainly had not been _this_.  
The second present used this situation of Ushijima's stunned silence to lick his nose, which pulled him out of his rigidity. He reached out for the little puppy and took it from his mother's hands. The little Shiba Inu wagged its tail and looked at him with exitement before it let out a tiny bark. Carefully Ushijima petted the puppy's head which caused it to lick over his face again. Slowly he started to smile, more and more, until he had a big grin on his face.  
Since he was all fixed on his puppy he didn't notice how his parents let out a small sigh of relief. They'd been worried about him since it didn't seem like he had much friends at school. He never talked about any and he never wanted to meet up with anyone so they thought of getting him a puppy. Which had apparently been a good idea. Also they knew that he would take good care of the puppy because despite him being still young he was pretty responsible.  
„What do you want to call him?“, his dad asked him and thus caused Ushijima to look up to him. He didn't even have to think twice. „His name is Inuoka.“ The new named Inuoka barked and licked his owner again. „It seems like he likes his name.“  
Ushijima nodded and put Inuoka down on the floor. „We're going outside“, he announced before running of with Inuoka, who was happily following his new owner.  
  
The first thing Ushijima did when he was outside was watering his plants. He didn't want them to die. But after that he played with his new friend. Laughter and barks were heard from the courtyard the entire day, leading Ushijima's parents to the conclusion that they had definitely chosen the right present for their son.  
  
-  
  
It got dark and the night came soon. Ushijima cuddled into his pillow with a yawn, tired from all the playing. Besides him Inuoka let out a tiny yawn as well. He naturally was tired as well as he was just a tiny puppy.  
Ushijima smiled at him – a smile he would always wear when being with Inuoka.  
Another yawn escaped him and Inuoka used this moment to quickly lick him again. Ushijima laughed a little and put his arm around his new friend. A quiet „I love you, Inuoka“ was whispered before he closed his eyes and fell asleep.  
  
When his mother came in to check on him, she found him all snuggled up to Inuoka. One hand on Inuoka's body, the other hand holding the paw of whom would soon become his best friend.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Ushiwaka the plant and dog lover♥  
> He's probably the only kid that thinks about his plants when getting presents.


End file.
